Weekly Dish: Sweet, southern charm made daily in Lumberton

In a world of Starbucks franchises and energy drink startups, there stands a coffee shop in Lumberton that is changing up the rulebook for coffee in Southeast Texas. That coffee shop is Hard Bean Coffee, a much-needed respite for the area and a great alternative to big chain coffee shops.

The calm atmosphere is only one of its many soul-soothing facets, the others being the combination of full and flavorful coffee, delicious lunch and breakfast menus and the various desserts for sale. The coffee shop is community focused, even having a rentable room for private events or get-togethers. There is an hourly charge to use the private meeting room, but those fees go toward any food bought while you’re there.

Hard Bean offers many different styles of coffee, from the classic cup to Campfire Mocha. These coffees are flavorful and allow the true taste of the beans to shine through. The brew is quality, and the menu has something for anyone, whether they need a warm to-go cup on the way to work or something sweet and cold for their weekly book club.

The most important meal of the day is handled in an interesting way at Hard Bean Coffee. One of these interesting takes on breakfast is the frittata, a combination of three eggs mixed with your choice of vegetables or meat in the shape of a muffin. The frittata provides a perfect quick and hearty breakfast for anyone on a morning commute.

The club salad was an expert blend of spinach, romaine, ham, bacon, tomatoes, cheese and croutons. The salad can also come topped with a choice of dressings ranging from ranch to balsamic vinaigrette. Though the salad may seem standard, it is the combination of textures that makes it something special. With excellent greens and generous helpings of treats on top, the whole salad comes together as a beautifully orchestrated meal great for anyone on the go or just wanting something light. As far as the dressings are concerned, the chipotle ranch stood out, its slight spice gave the club salad a fun twist.

The chicken salad sandwich is the real star of the menu. Coming in two varieties, either with fruits and nuts or bacon and egg, both come with lettuce, tomato and cheese. The fruit and nut version of the sandwich was out of this world and added a whole new spin on the classic chicken salad sandwich. Mixing sweet fruit and the crunch of nuts with the classic chicken salad combo truly makes it one of the best lunches available to Southeast Texas. It also comes with a side of chips to put the cherry on top of this picture perfect lunch.

Take a minute and enjoy one of the many cakes or pastries on the menu. Hard Bean also brings in fresh limited-time cakes that are baked on a rotation. One of those is the Preacher’s Cake, a mix of a little bit of everything, from walnuts to coconut frosting. The cake is delectably crafted and offers a sweet treat for any in need of relief from the troubles of the day.

Hard Bean Coffee is a boon to the area and is one of the many reasons to travel to Lumberton from any where in the Golden Triangle. This hometown coffee shop truly reflects Lumberton’s southern charm. Hard Bean Coffee is at 78 N. LHS Drive in Lumberton. For more information call (409) 227-4608.

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